Election Reflection

   By now, today is no longer simply November 6, 2012, so if today was the day you were planning to propose to your significant other, on behalf of the free world, you may wanna wait a day. 

   I don't have to tell you that it's election day in the US. But it's more than that even: it's Election Day. So much culture has been devoted to building up this Day that it's a wonder not more people are dry-heaving just from anticipation. Whether or not you say you care, you do. At this point, having an opinion is unavoidable.

   Before I jump the gun, I'll come out and say that, while I indeed have opinions, I probably don't follow politics with enough fervor to be seen as an authority on any one issue. Hence, I do not plan to discuss said opinions here. Political stances on the internet are like Christian movies. More often than not, you're only preaching to those who already agree with you.

   And isn't that an issue in and of itself? 

   I know I'm not the only one to have said this before, but why aren't we more concerned with engaging in dialogue with people from both sides of the coin (assuming there are only two)? Instead, we bash. We insult. We intellectually maim the people we share freedom with, no matter who sits in the White House. What's worse is that we do it all with an attitude of smugness. Does it really do your views justice when your primary reason for protesting is to make the other side look foolish? Does it really bring progression to the country when you stick and prick at the other team until they have no choice but to use words not on their cue cards? 

   Like I said, this childish pissing contest isn't convincing anybody new. It's only damming up the walls between us with more and more mud.

   

   Now, brace yourselves, folks, 'cause I'm makin' this about Jesus. 

  Last week was Confirmation Sunday at our church. We had five high school freshmen stand up and publicly affirm their baptism and take a greater responsibility for their faith. They each made promises to proclaim the Good News of Christ through word and deed, and to strive for justice and peace in all the world. 

    Before they were confirmed, I was privileged to sit in on meetings between our pastor and each of the students and their parents. Pastor would ask a question, such as, "How do you plan to proclaim the Good News?" 

    Without fail, each kid responded with, "I'll read the Bible," or "I'll pray more," or "I'll go to church and Sunday School." 

    Each time we heard those answers, it put uneasy wrinkles in my forehead. First because these were water-chestnut answers they thought we'd want to hear. Second because not one of those things involved reaching beyond the huge doors of our sanctuary. 

   When the kids would give those answers, I would challenge each of them: "Will you really?" I asked. "Aren't these things you do already? We know that you're gonna keep doing them. What else will you do?"

   Proclaiming the Good News of Christ to people already in the pews is all good, but it can also get comfortable. Jesus spent time developing his inner circle, but he also stepped out to those on the fringe. For us humans, ignoring the people outside the church does all the good of subscribing to a magazine just so you have a coffee table decoration. Your faith needs to be used! Why believe if you aren't going to share the passion with others?

   This is my issue with the political climate of our country. Yeah, yeah, yeah, separation of Church and State, blah. Jesus provides for us a model of peacemaking that, oddly, doesn't resort to snickering at Pilate when he doesn't know how to respond to Jesus. It's a model for behavior that, if ignored, we won't be able to sustain ourselves much longer. If we want to grow upward, forward, together, we need to be following His example. Even in politics.

   As Election Day in America winds down, I hope everyone- democrat, republican, liberal, conservative, and everything in between- remembers that whoever wins this election isn't going to save us. Jesus is the ultimate justice. Jesus is the ultimate peace. None of us are moving forward until He is leading the way.

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   I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sinner, which is to say it's not uncommon for me to forget my faith sometimes. If you know me, you probably can recall at least one instance where my foot has met my mouth (and trust me, by now, those two are old chums). But every saint is also a sinner, so I beg you permit me my piddly, self-righteous blog post.

-Danul